Fruit Coatings
A Technical Information Bulletin
of the
Northwest Horticultural Council
All fruits, including apples, naturally produce their
own waxy coating. After
harvest when fruit is washed to clean off dirt and any other foreign
objects, such washing also removes some of the fruit’s existing wax on
its surface. As a result, food
grade coatings may be applied to replace the natural wax that is lost,
with each piece of fruit receiving only a few drops of these coatings. Natural
occurring wax and supplemental fruit coatings help inhibit mold growth;
help prevent moisture loss and shriveling; enhance appearance; and assist
in maintaining firmness during handling and storage.
Fruit coatings used by the Pacific Northwest tree fruit
industry are from two natural sources. Carnauba
wax is from the harvested leaves of the carnauba palm. Shellac
wax is a resin secreted by the lac beetle, an insect found in Asia, to
protect its eggs. Lac production by this insect is similar to honey
production by bees. No synthetic-based waxes are used.
Both carnauba and shellac are approved for food
additive use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and have been
used on produce for decades. These
same ingredients are also approved for use as food additives in candies,
pastries, and pharmaceuticals. For fresh fruit sold in the United
States, packers are required by FDA to report an ingredient statement on
the side panel of the bulk shipping container that a coating was used. (Different
labeling requirements may apply to commercial fruit sold in export
markets.)
Under certain conditions of high humidity or moisture,
apples coated with shellac wax can take on a milky appearance. The
whitening of a shellac coating is actually a cracking of the coating,
which occurs when free moisture, or condensation, is present on the
surface of the fruit. When this happens only a physical change of
the shellac occurs: the safe edibility and taste of the product are not
affected.
Pacific Northwest fruit producers recognize that
consumers have diverse dietary needs. No
waxes are used that are derived from dairy or other animal sources and not
all fruit is coated prior to distribution to retail markets.
The Northwest Horticultural Council
represents the deciduous tree fruit industry of Idaho, Oregon and
Washington on national and international policy issues affecting growers
and shippers. For further
information, please contact Dr. Mike Willett, Vice President for
Scientific Affairs, at (509) 453-3193 or email at willett@nwhort.org.
11/30/09
